Polishing machine



March 26, 1940. A. o. ANDERSEN- POLISHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 3, 1939 4Sheets$heet 2 INVENTOR flZ/ied 0 fllzaersen/ My. 0W

ATTORNEY March 26, 1940.

A. O. ANDERS EN POLISHING MACHINE Fild Feb. 3, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 6INVENTOR. fl l/9ed Qflnwiersezg BY r %1 Mw ATTORNEY March 26, 1940. A.o. ANDERSEN POLISHING MACHINE Filed Feb. 3, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEY Patented Mar. 26, 1940 UNITED STATES PATENT. OFFICE r 2,194,780POLISHING MACHINE Alfred 0. Andersen, Bridgeport, Conn.

Application February 3, 1939, Serial No. 254,361 17 Claims. (01. 51-105)This invention relates to new and useful improvements in polishingmachines such as are employed for polishing or buffing the surface ofautomobile light lenses, or other forms of sheet or cast metal or glassparts.

In this connection it will be understood that the polishing wheels andchucking means herein.

disclosed will necessarily vary in accordance with the shape andcharacter of the work to be polished. As shown in the drawings, thechucks are especially designed for holding sheet metal concave andconvex discs which require to be.

polished on both the inner concave and outer convex faces.

The machine is of a continuous rotating table type which carries andallows for the simultaneous and continuous rotary movement of a numberof work carrying chucks which are carried around with the table, thework being placed in position by an operator standing in front of themachine, and by whom the finished work is removed and replaced by newWork pieces while remaining in one position, and while the table isrotating. As soon as the work pieces to i be polished are chucked, theyare brought into engagement with the polishing wheels which polish thework when mounted in the rotating chucks while being carried around withthe table.

The usual class of work polished on this machine, such as reflectors,are completely polished on one side during a single rotation of thetable, yet if necessary two or more rotations may be made depending onthe character of the work i for the completion of the polishingoperation.

The machine, as herein illustratedJs a fourspindle machine, it beingobvious, of course, that the invention may be carried out in theconstruction of a machine having a greater or lesser nummer of workspindles as may be necessary.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a central vertical cross section through my completemachine showing two of the four chucking spindles.

Fig. 2 shows a detached perspective view of the annular tract forsupporting the chuck spindles as they are moved around by the table forpolishing operations.

Fig. 3 shows a top plan view of my improved polishing machine.

Fig. 4 shows a diagrammatical plan View of the distributor shown inFigs. 1 and 6, including electrical connections therefrom.

Fig. 5 shows an inverted sectional plan view on a slightly reducedscale, as seen from thebottom looking up under the machine, better toillustrate thedrive means for the table. and chucks.

Fig. 6 shows an enlarged vertical cross sectional. view of the electricdistributor seen in. Figs. 1 and 4.

Fig. 7 shows an enlarged broken cross section taken on line I of Fig. 6showing the vacuum pipe connections for the chucks.

,Fig. 8 shows an enlarged detached front elevation of the chuck.carrying means shown at the left in Fig. 1.

Fig. 9 shows a central vertical sectional view taken on line 99 of Fig.8, showing the chuck supporting sleeve, the adjustable housing and geardrive mechanism for the chuck, and

Fig. 10 shows a detail side elevational view as seen from the outer sideof the machine looking at the edge of the table, the chuck spindle andmechanism for raising and lowering the same.

Referring in detail to the characters of reference marked upon thedrawings, l l represents a flat base plate which may be formed of castiron and which in practice would rest upon the floor of a shop or otherplace where the machine is set up for operation. II a is a centralhollow pedestal that is bolted to the base plate and serves to supportthe rotatable table and other operating features of the machine. I2 isan annular sheet metal closure or guard member that is attached to theedge portion of the base plate as at l3 and serves to enclose the sideportions of themachine. l4 represents a cylindrical supporting memberwhich is also attached to the base as at l5 and carries an annular track16 upon which a roller l1 travels as in the lifting and supporting ofthe chuck as will later be described.

To the upper flanged portion of the pedestal I la is secured a ring gearl8, its teeth being upon its outer periphery for the operation of gearconnections for the several chucks of which but four are shown in theaccompanying drawings. There obviously may be a greateror lesser numberof these chucks, as may be required, for the particular class of work tobe performed. To the upper end of the pedestal Ha is secured asupporting plate IS in which is formed an annular groove forming aball-race 20, in which suitable balls 2| are positioned for supportingthe ring 22 secured to the closure member 23 that is fastened to therotatable table 24, the said balls, race-Way and bearing plates servingas the bearing upon which the table rotates, it being understood thatwith the rotation of the table, the train of gears 25 are caused torotate and operate the several drive spindles as will be laterdescribed. The upper dome portion 26 of the housing that surrounds thereduced end 21 of the column is provided with a ball bearing 28, seeFigs. 1 and 6, that insure free rotary movement of the housing and tablewith respect to the supporting column.

The chuck units, driving gears, etc., as well as the bufiing wheels andtheir mountings, are alike in each instance and as before intimated anydesired number within reason may be employed, there obviously being apolishing unit for each chuck. The chucking units as well as thepolishing units are carried upon the table which is designed to becontinuously driven through the medium of an electric motor 29 securedto the underside of the table. This motor, shown in Fig. 5, includes adriving gear 30 that meshes with the beforementioned stationary ringgear l8 secured to the pedestal in a manner to rotate the table upon thepedestal.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, it will be seen that the drive spindles 3!are each rotatedthrough separate gear trains 25 supported on theunderside of the table. For this purpose a plate 32 is secured to theunderside of the table by screws 33 which plates are disposed radiallywith respect to the axis of the table. These plates, there being one foreach gear train, each support two depending bolts 34 and 35 which formbearings for the gears 36, 3'! and 38. The gears 36 and 31 as shown aretwin gears, the upper one of which is driven through its engagement withthe ring gear l8 and the other one 36 serves to drive an intermediateidle gear 38a mounted on a stud 35! carried by a plate All which ispositioned against the underside of the gears 31, 38 and Star by meansof nuts 4|. The gear 33 is slidable vertically on its bearing 35, thoughis normally held down by a spring 42 mounted upon the bolt 35, therebyinsuring meshing engagement with the gears 43 secured to the lower endportion of the drive spindles 3|.

Each of the several polishing units, see Figs. 1, 8, 9 and 10, include adrive spindle, bearings and drive mechanisms, and are also otherwisealike in construction, as will be seen. Each unit includes a bearing 44that is bolted to the table at equal distances apart and extends downthrough the table in a way to form an elongated bearing for a sleeve 45in which the spindle 3! is mounted to rotate. These sleeves are eachprovided with a keyway 45a which is engaged by a spline 46 secured inthe bearing 44 allowing the sleeve to be raised and lowered, againstturning, but in a manner to form a bearing for the spindle whereby thesame may be driven through the gear train before-mentioned.

Each of the several polishing units includes a chuck, universal drivingmeans, as well as a polishing wheel, all of which are carried by thetable. The form of the chuck 3611 as well as the peripheral surface ofthe polishing wheels 41 may be varied to accommodate the particularshape of work piece A to be polished. By this means both the sleeve 45and the spindle 3| may be raised and lowered to contact the work piecesA with the polishing wheels 41, as will be later more fully described.

A double-acting pinch collar 43 is secured to the supporting sleeve 45by means of a clamping screw 48a and forms an annular bearing 49 whichis partially severed as at 4911 from the lower fixed part of the collar48 and serves to adjustably support therein the depending hub portion 58of the gear housing 5 I to provide a horizontal rotary adjustment of thegear housing on the nonrotatable bearing 49, the said hub portion 50being clamped or released in the bearing 49 by means of the clampingscrews cm. This obviously permits of a rotary adjustment of the housing5| whereby it and the chuck can be turned completely around on thecollar G8 or to any intermediate position to better accommodate concave,convex, fiat, oval and fan-shaped surfaces to be buffed.

The gear housing as will be seen is formed of two parts 5! and 52 whoseannular finished surfaces 52a are fitted for annular adjustment, one ofsaid parts being provided with a slot 53 and a screw 53a which passesthrough the said slot and threadably engages the coacting member in away to clamp the members of the box together after the same have beenadjusted to the position desired. In this respect it will be seen thatthe member 52 of the housing includes a radially disposed. hub portion54 that forms a bearing for the chuck spindle 54a.

The housing is mounted for rotary adjustment on the sleeve 45 and servesto enclose a bevel pinion 55 secured on the upper end of the spindle 3i,which by the way extends through and into the housing member 5!. Thishousing also encloses a cross shaft 55a that'is arranged horizontallyand at a right angle to the spindle 3| and carries upon one end abeveled pinion 56 that meshes with the beforementioned pinion 55 andcarries upon its other end a beveled pinion 56a that meshes with anddrives a fourth beveled pinion 57 upon the chuck spindle 54a. Thecylindrical hubs of the two said beveled pinions mounted upon the crossshaft are keyed to the said cross shaft and their hub portions arefitted in bearings of the housing to permit free rotation of the shaftand pinions. From the foregoing it will be seen that the chuck isadapted for rotary, forward, backward and angular adjustment to meet allrequirements, so that to it can be attached any form of work desired.

The form of chuck as well as the polishing wheels required thereforedepends entirely upon the form of the work piece to be finished. Whereconcaved pieces such as an automobile head light lense is to be finisheda form of chuck somewhat like that shown at the right in Fig. l and alsoin Fig. 10 would be employed. Whereas if it is a convex piece to bepolished a form of chuck like that shown in Figs. 1, 8 and 9 would beemployed. One can obviously be substituted for the other bydisconnecting the shank of the chuck from the chuck spindle 54a. It willalso be understood from Fig. 1 that one or more difierent types ofchucks may be carried by the machine at the same time, as for instancetwo like that shown at the left of Fig. 1 could be employed along withtwo like that shown at the right. In this way one set of chucks could beused for Ibufiing the outside of the discs and the other pair used tobufif the inside of the work, thereby completing the operation ofbufling both sides of a piece with each rotation of the table. Theparticular adjustment of the supporting means for the chucks, includingthe housing, would necessarily vary according to the'size and shape ofthe work piece to be buffed. In most instances the resetting of thechucks would probably not be required very frequently since such workpieces as those above mentioned are produced by the thousands.

From the foregoing it will be understood that both the chuck and thepolishing wheel are power driven to rotate in either direction, thepolishing wheel being driven direct from the motor 68 while the chucksare driven through the gear train 25 from the ring gear, thence throughthe detachable gear 43 to the drive spindle 3|, the beveled gears 55,56, 56a and 51 to the chuck spindle 54a. The gear drive within thehousing is, as will be seen, of such construction as will permit thechuck shaft to be deflected forward or backward to permit one section ofthe housing as well as the chuck shaft carried thereby to be deflectedforward as. shown in Figs. 1 and 8 or to be set back in a verticalposition as shown'in Figs. 1 and 10. This housing, as well as the partscarried thereby, are also free to be adjustably turned in the pinchcollar 48 as may be necessary to provide a proper setting of the chuckto accommodate the work piece carried thereby.

The work is held on the chuck by a vacuum system which includes aperforated form of chuck B against which the work piece A is placed andheld by suction, these perforations leading to'a suitable passage b downthrough the chuck spindle 54a and is there coupled to a cross pipe 51a,see Figs? and 9, secured in the housing 52 and having an outlet 53 forthe: attachment of a vacuum pipe. The pipes, not shown, from the severalchucks may be connected in a manner to form a single pipe which can leadoff to a vacuum tank or pump, not shown, as preferred. These individualpipe connections from the chucks may also be provided with suitablevalves, not shown, which are turned off and on to release and clamp thework pieces.

The circular track [6 heretofore referred to, see Figs; 1, 2 and 5, issecured to the inner wall of the support M in any suitable manner and islevel for a portionpf its circumference but has a decided dip at'theloading station. This clip includes a relatively sharp decline 0, acomparatively level lower portion d and a gradual incline 6 better toallow ofthe rapid lowering of the drive spindles to permit the same andthe chucks to cease rotation, while the spindles continue to move alongwith the table for a short distance so that the work piece can beremoved and the chuck reloaded. p

In order to best accomplish this I pivotally connect a spring actuatedhook 59, see Figs. 1 and 10, as at 6i? to the underside of thetable andimmediately above the rollers ll. A" spring 6! normally holds the hookin a vertical position in a Way to engage the bracket 62 secured to thesleeve 45, adjacent to the roller IT, and support the same and its chuckduring the travel of the roller over the upper horizontal portion $4 ofthe track. In order to release this hook from the roller bracket as thechucks approach the loading station. I secure a knockout pin 65, seeFig. 5, to the inner wall of the support M, which pin extends inward, inthe lineof travel of the hook so that the latter with the rotation ofthe table will strike the pin and become disengaged from the rollerbracket and at the same time permit the gear 13 on the spindle 3| tobecome disengaged from the slip gear 38. This leaves the roller ll freeto ride down the decline, along the level portion and up the incline ofthe track thereby lowering the chuckJand permite ting the finished workpiece to be removed and.

another piece placed in the chuck, to be finished.

As the roller reaches the high point f of the.

track it again engages the hook and becomes connected, whereupon theytravel together to support the work piece in engagement with, thepolishing wheel 61, during the further travel of the table. Thechuckspindle and its roller are supported by the hook'slightly above theadjacent top surface of the track until its hook again strikes theknockout'pin and releases the spindle.

The polishing wheels Glare each driven by separate motors 68 which inturn are mounted on adjustable plates 69 whereby the axis of the motorspindles and polishing wheels may be adjusted at various angles betterto perform the required polishing operations on various kinds of work,if

desired. These severalplates like the motors are alike in constructionand are indirectly mounted upon the beforementioned closure member 23which, as before stated, is secured to the table of the machine. Thisadjusting means for the several motors includes a fixed bracket 10 thatvconnected to an eye 73 on the underside of the plate 69. This bracket itserves also to support two pair of uprights 14 that are slotted toreceive arod 15 mounted in lugs of the plate 69 upon which the motor 68is secured. Rods "It are carried by the arms of a yoke-shaped end oneach motor plate, and serve to pivotally connect said plates with ablock ll slidably mounted on one end of a threaded sleeve 3|, whichengages a vertically disposed screw 18 made integral with and formingpart of a covering 19 secured to the hub portion 26 of the closuremember 23 and covering the electrical distributor 80.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that the motor base plates 93 canreadily be adjusted to change the angle of the motor spindles first bythe adjusting of the nut 15 which serves to raise and lower the outerend portions of the said motor base plates. these base plates can beobtained through the raising and lowering of the block H, which asbefore stated is pivotally connected through rods 16 with said plates69. As stated, the block ll is operated through the sleeve 3! thatthreadably engages the threaded stem "i8 and is rotated by a handle 82mounted upon the upper end of the sleeve 8i whose lower end portion isslidably connected with the beforementioned block '3'! so that with theturning of the sleeve by the handle 82, the block will be raised orlowered for the adjustment of the motor plates and motors.

The distributor Bil, as shown in Figs. 6 and 4 comprises a hollow post83 that is mounted on the reduced upper end portion 2'! of the columnIla and is surrounded by an insulating sleeve 85 made of fiber. washers85 mounted on this sleeve, that are secured as by means of a washer andnut 83a There are also four fiber Further adjustment of on the end ofthe post 83. Three or more bronze,

plates 86, 8 and 88 are positioned between the fiber washers 85 and areprovided with a series of tubular insulators 89 which are positioned inround holes through the bronze plates andserve to accommodate three ormore contact rods 90 one of which is imbedded in the lower bronze plate86, another in the intermediate bronze tion of the several bronze platesto insure the turning of the same with the table. 96 represents bindingposts that are also carried by the said bronze plates and areelectrically connected by wires 91 to distributor plates 98 of theoutlet box 99 by wires IDE! there.

The distributor plate obviously serves to supply electric current to theseveral motors 29 and 68, each motor being provided with a separateconnection from each one of the three plates. The supply wire Hi8 which,in the present in stance, is in the form of a cable, is brought upthrough the column H and post 83, shown more clearly in Fig. 6, and eachof the several wires of this cable are connected to binding posts 95that supply current to the distributor 80 whereas the wires 9'! connectthe several binding posts 96 to the several plates of the outlet box 99from which connections are made to the respective motors.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:

1. A polishing machine of the class described, comprising incombination, a central column, a table rotatably mounted thereon, meansfor rotating the table, a series of rotatable chuck carrying spindlesmounted in the table, gear drive means as between the column and thespindles for rotating the same, means for raising and lowering thespindles and chucks for engaging and disengaging said gear drive means,and a series of polishing wheels carried by the table and adapted tooperate upon work carried by the chucks while in a raised position.

2. A polishing machine of the class described, comprising incombination, a central column, a table rotatably mounted thereon, meansfor rotating the table, a series of rotatable chuck carrying spindlesmounted in the table, gear drive means as between the column and thespindles for rotating the same, means for engaging and disengaging saidgear drive means, a series of polishing wheels carried by the table andadapted to operate upon work carried by the chucks while in a raisedposition, and an annular track beneath the table adjacent the line oftravel of the spindles, and a supporting roller carried by each spindleto engage the track.

3. A polishing machine of the class described, comprising incombination, a central column, a table rotatably mounted thereon, meansfor rotating the table, a series of rotatable chuck carrying spindlesmounted in the table, gear drive means as between the column and thespindles for rotating the same, an annular track beneath the tableadjacent the line of travel of the spindles, a supporting roller carriedby each spindle to engage the track, said track having a downwardlylooped portion to guide the rolls and spindles down and up to disengageand engage the spindles from the drive, and a series of polishing wheelscarried by the table and adapted to operate upon work carried by thechucks while in a raised position.

4. A continuous turning polishing machine comprising a central column, atable rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating the table,

a series of rotatable chuck carrying spindles carried by the table,adjustable motor supporting means carried by the table, a series ofmotors each bearing a polishing wheel carried by said supporting meansand means for operating the said adjusting means to change the angularposition of the motors and polishing wheels to better operate on workcarried by the chucks.

5. A continuous turning polishing machine comprising a central column, atable rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating the table, a bearingplate mounted on the column, a closure member secured on the table andcarrying a bearing plate and balls to form a ball bearing for the table,a series of rotatable chuck carrying spindles mounted on the table, geardrive means as between the column and the spindles for rotating thesame, a series of polishing wheels carried by the table adapted tooperate upon work carried by the chucks and means for raising andlowering the spindles and chucks to be engaged and disengaged by thepolishing wheel.

6. A polishing machine comprising a column, a table mounted thereon,means for rotating the table, a drive spindle, a chuck, a chuck spindle,chuck drive gearing, a ring gear secured to the column, a gear trainconnecting the ring gear and the chuck drive gearing, means to engageand disengage the gear train, chuck and chuck spindle, drive gearingconnecting the drive spindle and the chuck spindle, means for adjustingthe chuck and its spindle in various angular positions with respect tothe drive spindle.

7. A continuous turning polishing machine, comprising a. column, a tablerotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating the table, a series ofrotatable chuck bearing spindles carried by the table, a motor andpolishing Wheel for each chuck, an adjustable motor supporting meanscomprising a bracket carried by the table, a motor supporting plate, anadjustable screw means for raising and lowering one portion of the motorsupporting plate, guide posts carried by the table, a yoke in engagementwith the said sup porting plates, and a screw and nut for raising andlowering the yoke to raise and lower the supporting plates and motors.

'8. A continuous turning polishing machine, comprising a central column,a table rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating the table, a

series of rotatable chuck carrying spindles carried by the table, aseries of motors each bearing a polishing wheel carried by the table,one for each chuck, means for changing the relative position of thechucks and polishing wheels to bring the wheels into and out ofoperative engagement, means for simultaneously changing the angularposition of the motors with respect to the chucks, means for rotatingthe chuck spindles simultaneously with the rotating of the table.

9. A polishing machine of the class described comprising a column, aring gear positioned thereon, a table rotatably mounted on the columnand having means to engage the ring gear to rotate the table, a geartrain supported by the table, one gear of each train being normally inengagement with the ring gear, chuck carrying spindles mounted in thetable and adapted to be raised and lowered and having a gear normallyconnected with the gear train, means for engaging and disengaging saidspindle gear from the gear train to stop and start the rotation of thespindle, means for holding a work piece in the chuck, motor drivenpolishing wheels carried by the table in a position to operate on workmounted in the chucks.

10. A polishing machine of the class described, comprising a column, aring gear positioned thereon, a table rotatably mounted on the columnand having means to engage the ring gear to rotate the table, a geartrain supported by the spindle carried on the support, drive gearingconnecting the drive spindle and the chuck spindle,

table, one gear of which is normally in engagement with the ring gear, achuck carrying spindle mounted on the table and adapted to be raised ingupon the supporting sleeve.

15. In a polishing machine, a rotatable table, 1 rotatable polishingwheels carried thereby, means and lowered and having a gear normally inengagement with the gear train, a hook carried by the table to engageand support the spindle motors and polishing wheels carried upon thetable, means secured to the table for engaging the hook to disconnect itfrom the spindles at the loading station to disengage the polishingwheel.

11. A polishing machine ofthe'class described comprising a centralcolumn, a table rotatably mounted thereon, means for rotating the table,a series of rotatable chuck carrying spindles slidably mounted in thetable, gear drive means as between the column and the spindles to rotatethe same, an annular track beneath the table in chuck from the the pathof travel of the spindles, a supporting roller carried by each spindleto run upon the track, motor driven polishing wheels carried by thetable, hook means secured to the table for supporting the chucks inengagement with the polishing wheel, means to engage and disengage thespindle from the drive means and polishing wheels to permit loading ofWork pieces.

12. In a polishing machine of the class described, the combination of arotary table, a motor and polishing wheelv mounted thereon, a spindleand chuck rotatably mounted in the table beneath the polishing wheel,means for driving the spindle, means for raising and lowering thespindle and the chuck with respect to the polishing wheel, the chuckincluding vacuum means for clamping a work piece thereon.

13. In a polishing machine, a rotary table, a

polishing wheel and means for rotating the same,

chuck supporting and driving'means comprising a vertically movablesupport mounted in the table, a driving spindle journaled in thesupport,

means for driving the spindle, a chuck and chuck means for adjustingthechuck spindle angularly with respect to the driving spindle and meansfor mounted in the table, a driving spindle 'journaled in the support,means for driving the spindle, an adjustable gear housing carried by thesupport, a chuck and chuck spindle carried by the necting the drivespindle and the chuck spindle,

housing, drive gearing Within the housing conand means for rotatablyadjusting thegear housspindlejournaled in the support, means for oper-,ating the spindle, a chuck and chuck spindle carried by the housing,means for adjusting the housing at different angles'with'respectto thevertical support, drive gearing within the housing connecting the drivespindle and the chuck spindle, andvacuum means for the chuck wherebywork pieces may besecured thereon. i

i6. In a polishing machine of the class described the combination with arotatable table and means for rotating the same, of a series ofrotatable polishing wheels with individual means for driving the same, aWork holding chuck for each of the polishing wheels, means for rotatingthe chucks through the movement of the table,

the said chucks each comprising a support vertically mo-vably mounted inthe table and means for raising and lowering the same with respect tothe polishing wheels, a chuck spindle carried on the support, drivingconnections fromthe driving spindle to the chuck spindle for operatingthe latterand means to permit adjustment of said driving connections topermit the chuck and spindle to be set at various angles with re-' spectto the saidsupport.

17. In a polishing machine, the combination of 1 a fixed column carryinga ring gear, atable rotatably mounted on the column, means for rotatingthe table, gear trains carried by the table and connected with the ringgear whereby the rotation of'the table will cause to drive the geartrain, a'series of .polishing wheelscarried by the table, a series ofchuck supports adjustably mounted in the table, a driving spindle foreach support having gear connections with the said gear train forrotating the spindle, a chuck and chuck spindle, a flexible gear drivefrom the drive spindle to the chuck spindle means for adjustablypositioning the last mentioned gear drive on the support and means forangularly positioning the chuck with respect to the said support.

ALFRED o. ANDERSENQ

